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U18: 2021 WJC18

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Blessed are the peacemakers!!!!!! Let's not let a kids hockey game during the worst pandemic in 100 years cause a world war. Let's all take a deep breath a sip of beer and lay off the salt and vinegar chips.
 
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prongertheman9 said:
I couldn't disagree more - NHL teams are taking the best players, period. The bias that you are referring to is the fact that the NHL plays a NA style which obviously makes the transition for NA players easy, since they've played it their whole life. Skilled Europeans have to be "markedly better" to make NHL teams if they are not willing or capable of adapting to this style of hockey - i.e) if a player isn't good enough to play in the top 6 but doesn't have the tools necessary to play in the bottom 6 then he is useless... but that goes for players from any country, it's just that NA players are probably more likely to have the tools to play a grinder role in the bottom 6 in the NHL.

Is there that much bona fide NHL level talent playing outside the NHL? Not saying there is none but you see a guy like Nigel Dawes, who couldn't stick in the NHL, tearing apart the KHL and it's hard to imagine that there are that many guys that could walk on to an NHL team and have a huge impact - other than the young prospects who are developing en route to the NHL. (how many times can someone say NHL in one sentence.... I know)

Canada can't control who they play in those tournaments. If the best teams are getting eliminated by teams that Canada is beating then it seems like that would make Canada the best team at the tournament, no?
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There is very little high level talent playing outside the NHL. Of the other leagues, the KHL probably has the second-best group of players, but it is a distant second. Most of the KHL is located in Russia, but all of the best Russian players play in the NHL. Its kind of, if you are good enough, you're gone. Russians are increasingly becoming disinterested in hockey, especially at the developmental level, where the fruits of any investment goes to Canadian and American billionaires. In the North and Siberia, bandy is still more popular than hockey. Sweden is rapidly losing interest in hockey, look at how awful their U18 team is. The Czechs and the Slovaks have steadily declined. Only Finland hangs on as a hockey hotbed, but it is a tiny country, even in comparison to Canada, and it can't contribute a large number of talented players. If Canada doesn't dominate under those circumstances, you have to ask what is wrong with them.
 
In light of recent setbacks and humiliations I would love a gold medal at this thing, it's just too bad we won't get a chance to go for it against the U.S.
 
theslatcher said:
I had high expectations of him this tournament as I haven't really watched him but know where people rank him, but similarly to Lysell he has really disappointed me. Guenther much more so, though.
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I didn't mean he was as good as byfield. Just the way he looks out there breaking into the offensive zone from the outside.
 
jj cale said:
I have to stop replying to you after this post or I will miss another 4-5 goals by us.

Have a better end to your day when the Finns play tonight.
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Lame humor, but you are young so hopefully it will come. Congratulations reaching the final.

Thank you sonny. I doubt it, Russia are big favorites against Finland.
Canada will win this tournament, mostly because they are superior. The other reason is both Russia and especially Finland have weaker netminders this year. That makes an upset in the final even more unlikely.
 
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How does Lindbom not get best player here? Each and every one of his teammates in front of him was pathetic but he battled like crazy. He was outstanding.
 
Yakushev72 said:
There is very little high level talent playing outside the NHL. Of the other leagues, the KHL probably has the second-best group of players, but it is a distant second. Most of the KHL is located in Russia, but all of the best Russian players play in the NHL. Its kind of, if you are good enough, you're gone. Russians are increasingly becoming disinterested in hockey, especially at the developmental level, where the fruits of any investment goes to Canadian and American billionaires. In the North and Siberia, bandy is still more popular than hockey. Sweden is rapidly losing interest in hockey, look at how awful their U18 team is. The Czechs and the Slovaks have steadily declined. Only Finland hangs on as a hockey hotbed, but it is a tiny country, even in comparison to Canada, and it can't contribute a large number of talented players. If Canada doesn't dominate under those circumstances, you have to ask what is wrong with them.
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Yeah I am always shocked when I see how small the minor hockey enrollment is in Russia considering they still produce such top-end talent.
 
Svedu said:
Lame humor, but you are young so hopefully it will come. Congratulations reaching the final.

Thank you sonny. I doubt it, Russia are big favorites. Canada will win this tournament, mostly because they are superior. The other reason is both Russia and especially Finland have weaker netminders this year. That makes an upset in the final even more unlikely.
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Sounds good, I'll make sure to clear my schedule to watch you guys get pasted, thanks for the heads up, you're a sport.

Looking forward to it :thumbu:
 
Yak, I hate to hear that especially when I think you are right. Even Canadians aren't as passionate about hockey as we once were. Sad when it was so much a part of Canadian culture. Too much money, too much politics, even too much climate change. It should be all about the game.
 
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canuck2010 said:
Yak, I hate to hear that especially when I think you are right. Even Canadians aren't as passionate about hockey as we once were. Sad when it was so much a part of Canadian culture. Too much money, too much politics, even too much climate change. It should be all about the game.
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Yeah it's been sad to witness.
 
Sweden is on the way to become same level as Belarus, Kazaksthan etc. You dont loose 8-1 and 12-1 by accident.
 
Jussi said:
Bad defending again...
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Suomi has been utter sh*t defensively in this tournament. He made a fatal mistake in the first game against Russia as well.
Hopefully he learns and becomes a good defender in the future.
 
For me, Bedard is on another level. Could be generational. But still, god damn is Michkov good as well.
I hope Lambert shows his talent in this game and that Tuomaala can be lethal in PP.
 
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